


Undercover

by Lionheart39



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29023455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionheart39/pseuds/Lionheart39
Summary: How did the Brigadier end up teaching in a public school?
Kudos: 1





	Undercover

Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, was busy looking at the details of his trip, just one more week and he would be setting off! He had retired just over two months before! There hadn't been the usual promotion to General; Alistair hadn't expected that there would be, he had alienated too many of the important people in the M.O.D. over the years! Even if he had been given the promotion it wouldn't make any difference, apart from a few grand extra in pension, once you had retired what did rank matter. As far as Alistair was concerned he would always be the Brigadier, as he should be! 

He was looking at the map of Tibet, a place that had a large influence on his life, but a place he had never managed to visit. His one attempt to get there over 18 years before had ended in him being in a plane crash and becoming a prisoner in East Germany or was it a prisoner in a parallel world! He still wasn't sure! He was now 56, if he was going to make it to Det Sen then this would be his last chance.  
He could worry about what he was going to do with the rest of his life when he got back! He had been asked if he was interested in doing the odd unofficial job for UNIT, and he had agreed!

The phone rang, Alistair picked it up and snapped “Lethbridge-Stewart!”

“Alistair!”

John Sudbury, what did John want.

“Errr, I know you have plans old man, but could you possibly postpone them for a few weeks?”

Alistair suddenly felt irritated, he'd spent the last couple of years treading water in Geneva, being sent here and there on wild goose chases! And now, when he had plans, he was being side tracked.

“Surely John, there is someone else who could do whatever it is you want doing?” 

John Sudbury sighed deeply, he'd been expecting this response. Old Alistair hadn’t appreciated being side lined, nor having his well deserved promotion scuttled, all because he refused to toe the M.O.D. line. In fact Peter Grant and he had tried everything, including black mailing several senior M.O.D. officials, but that wasn't enough. Even questions from the palace about Alistair’s rank on retirement, had failed to force the issue! It was all well and good having principles, but not when they strangled your own career! 

“I'm sorry to say Alistair, there isn't! Can we meet at the club and I'll explain!”

“Alright John, no harm in listening, but it'll have to be a good pitch, I've been looking forward to this trip for years!”

“How does dinner this evening sound?”

Alistair's eyebrow rose, he looked at the clock it was already 15:10, so this must be pretty important. 

“I think the special is, Beef Wellington, at the club this evening!” John said, knowing that would probably seal the meeting!

Alistair glanced over at the M&S meal for one, chicken curry, he had bought for tonight's dinner!

“All right, John, I'll come and you can pitch your idea!”

“Jolly good old man, 8pm, black tie!”

“Of course,” Alistair said rather stiffly “uniform wouldn't be appropriate, I've retired!”

He heard John clear his throat in a rather embarrassed way! 

“See you in the bar Alistair!”

The meal had been excellent, and John had been good company! They were now sitting in the writing room of the club, an area that was very rarely used after 9pm. Alistair was savouring a very fine Brandy and a rather good cigar, waiting to find out what John wanted.

“This has been a most pleasant evening John, but I think it's about time you cut to the chase!”

The man across from him took another sip of his Brandy then looked back at the friend he had first met at prep school. The friend who had seen off the bullies making young John's life hell!

“About a month ago we found several individuals who are, lets say, not native to this sphere! They have been here about eighteen months! The only thing that links them together is a small firm of solicitors in the city. The firm is called Spencer, Gull and McMasters!”

Alistair looked up instantly, “The Master, is behind it then!”

John Sudbury had to smile, if old Alistair had been heading up the UK branch of UNIT eighteen months ago, rather then being dragged off to Geneva, this thing would have been shut down before it started! He had been forever looking for the master. But his successor had thought the constant computer searches for the Master’s aliases was just his predecessors paranoia! But as John had had the pleasure of pointing out, where the Master was concerned there was no such thing as paranoia! 

“It was a very well thought out infiltration, because it only involved one partner in the firm and only about ten percent of his clients. We have been able to track down and isolate most of their dubious clients! But we have hit a slight snag, McMasters has close connections to a public school, in fact he was chair of the board of governors!”

Alistair looked up “It can’t be difficult for you to get someone in to check the school out! Most minor public schools turn over staff at a frightening rate! And they usually like employing ex forces!”

“Err, you'd think we could, but the problem is this school is ‘Brendon’ and the five people we have tried to get on to the staff have all failed to be employed! Lack of teaching experience is usually cited as the reason!”

“So why would I be any different!”

“Oh come on Alistair, you may not advertise it but your original career choice was to be a teacher. In fact you graduated teacher training college before you started your, National Service! And I know you worked as a teacher while you waited for your course to start at Sandhurst! So you have had experience!”

Alistair sipped his Brandy. 

“One term, John, hardly qualifies me as Mr Chips!”

“Yes, well the job as advertise has your name written all over it.”

“They want, an assistant master to take prime responsibility for the schools C.C.F. one able to offer Mathematics at A level and willing to live on site!”

Alistair frowned, “There has got to be someone else you can get in John, with some false references, I know you, there will be some head teacher somewhere who owes you a favour!”

John smiled. 

“But this is Brendon, Alistair, names matter! Can you imagine how much they will want to have,

Brigadier, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, CMG, DSO (retired), running their CCF. That would be one hell of a step up on the mere Lt. Colonel Eaton boast about!”

Alistair shook his head!

“Oh, come on Alistair, a term, two at the most and you will find why the Master is so interested in the school!” Then John played what he considered his ace in the hole! “And you could apprehend the Master!”

Alistair could see one snag if the Master was on the board of Governors then he would certainly veto Alistair's application! He said as much to John.

“No, old man, since we have been making enquires McMasters has resigned his post citing ill health! But our operatives have spotted him in the area!

“All right old man, I'll apply for the job!”

John Sudbury smiled slightly, “I've already mentioned that you are quite interested in the job to old Guppy Jones, he is now the link man between the Education Secretary and the Public School's in that area.” 

At a raised eyebrow from Alistair, John gave an apologetic smile!

“I just mention you'd be a perfect fit for the job, seeing as you were at a loose end and still looking to put down roots! I also mentioned teaching would allow you to see your daughter more!”

Now John got one of Alistair’s best glares.

John swallowed hard, “Well Guppy says he happened to mention it to the head at Brendon and he was keen to get your contact details! In fact he phoned me this afternoon and I made an appointment for you to go down there the day after tomorrow!”

“Now look old man!” Alistair started.

“It's the Master Alistair, who else can we trust to capture him! I mean we don't want him hanging around a school with three hundred boys, do we?”

Resignedly Alistair nodded. He pushed his empty glass towards John who smiled as he refilled it and slid it back to his friend!

That was how Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart found himself working at Brendon and he had to admit even to himself enjoying the job. Even if there hadn't been any sign of the Master the school routine suited him! 

Eight weeks later!

John Sudbury was sat in the office of Doctor Roper at UNIT medical in London, along with Colonel Crichton and Dr Hajasi discussing Alistair’s case.

“Our surveillance operative reported that the Brigadier met up with a young woman who he went up towards the obelisk with!” Crichton said. “From what we can make out, from what the boys who witnessed the meeting told us, the young lady was looking for help because of an accident! The Brigadier asked one of the boys to find the local doctor, then set out with the young woman!”

“This girl, could it have been the Master?” John asked. “You know he is known for his ability to disguise himself as almost anyone!”

Crichton shook his head and slid the photo of the beautiful and very shapely young woman over to John Sudbury.

“Even the master isn't that good Sir John!”

“And you say Alistair wasn't out of your surveillance teams sight for more than a few minutes?”

Crichton shook his head.

“Yet, he is found by the local Doctor, out cold and seemingly very confused when he recovered!”

Crichton nodded!

“So what happened to him?”

The UNIT medical officer shrugged. 

“He seems to have suffered some extreme trauma, large parts of his memory are, well, missing or maybe just scrambled! How it happened, I couldn't say. There are no outward signs of injury!”

“The local GP seems to think the Brigadier could have had a nervous breakdown!” Crichton said shrugging!

Sir John shook his head, “ I've known Alistair since, well, forever, he hasn't had a breakdown!”

The medical officer concurred! “I don't know what happened but we gave him an MRI scan and there is some signs of physical damage to the brain!” 

At Sir John’s worried look he assured him, “Nothing too serious, nothing that we can't help him cope with! But he is very confused about certain parts of his life, the memories worst affected are those that cover his time with UNIT, mainly the decade from the first Auton incident. 

“Is this memory loss permanent?”

The doctor looked at his colleague and just shrugged? 

“There is no way of telling!” Dr Hajasi said. “Seeing as there is an underlying injury, if it were just psychological then I'd say no, but..” 

She looked apologetically at Sir John.

“The Brigadier is however insisting that he needs to get back to work at the school!”

John just sat looking confused, “He wants to go back to the school to finish his investigation?”

The doctor shook her head.

“No, he wants to get back to teaching!”

“Teaching!” Sir John spluttered.

“Yes, he’s convinced he is at the school as a teacher!” Said the young woman.

John Sudbury rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the young psychiatrist perplexed. 

“I've spoken to him several times,” she said “he's convinced he took the job because it would give him some structure to his life after retirement. I asked him why he chose teaching and he just said it was something he’d always wanted to do! He also mentioned it would allow him more time to try and connect with his daughter!”

John looked puzzled!

“So what do we do? What's the best thing for Old Alistair?”

“Well in my opinion, he is capable of taking care of himself! The job isn't too taxing for him. It would give him solid structure to his life and he does seem to have been enjoying doing it. Personally I would recommend he is allowed to go back to it! I would however, also recommend that he and I have a weekly treatment session!” Dr Hajasi said.

Sir John nodded, “And the school is willing to keep him on?”

Crichton nodded, “Yes, the head is very keen to have the Brigadier back! The local Doctor is also keen to help him. We have now got a man in place as an assistant grounds keeper to watch out for the Master, so he can monitor the Brigadier at the same time!”

“Right, well, maybe it would be for the best if we give it a go, I mean what alternative do we have? I can't see Alistair being happy with some boring desk job in Geneva!” Sir John said sighing deeply! He felt rather guilty, he wished he'd let his old friend take his trip to Tibet!


End file.
